Casa Blanca Garden

In Binh Dai, deep in the Mekong Delta, Casa Blanca Garden sits quietly beneath a canopy of mature trees. It is a home for a grandmother, a grandfather and their ten children, and a weekend gathering place for the wider family who live far away. The brief was simple and personal: a place to slow down, stay close to nature and raise children together.

The house is defined by a broad red clay tile roof. Its slanted planes reach low and wide, like the shade of a large tree. Beneath it, the kitchen, dining room and living room open into one continuous space, the heart of the house, where the family cooks, eats and spends time together. A prayer room, five bedrooms and a large shared room for the children sit around this centre. Deep verandas hold a hammock and a simple tea table, quiet corners for the grandparents to watch the garden and the children at play.

The house is built for the climate of the Mekong Delta rather than against it. The open plan lets breezes pass straight through. Wide eaves, verandas and spaced timber floors soften the strong southern sun. A pond in the front yard cools the air around the house, and rainwater is collected to water the garden through the dry season. Together, these keep the house comfortable with little need for mechanical cooling.

The materials are honest and local: reclaimed bricks, raw plaster left unfinished, natural timber and traditional clay tiles. Stone paths wind through planted courtyards and blur the line between inside and out. Over time, the house will weather and settle into its landscape.

Casa Blanca Garden was recognised among the Top 10 Houses of the year.

Interior design by KAA Design. Area 500 m². Photography by Quang Dam.